Working with a healthcare specialist for back pain often begins with a focus on noninvasive, conservative approaches such as physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, and medication. But sometimes these approaches are unsuccessful, or the doctor decides to move straight to surgery. One of the surgeries that a doctor may recommend is an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion that can help to alleviate chronic and persistent back pain. Call 1-800-injured to find a specialist in your area who can perform this surgery. 1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service that can connect you with an experienced and certified professional in your area.
What Is An Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion?
This procedure is intended to treat compression in the spinal cord or nerve roots in order to alleviate pressure on the spine and nerves. This is achieved by removing the herniated disc(s) and then fusing the vertebrae on both sides of the disc in order to provide the support that the disc once provided. By removing damaged discs and bone spurs, a patient will be able to regain mobility and focus on healing.
This type of surgery has a success rate of between 93-100% for treating arm pain, and 73-83% success for treating neck pain.
The Process For Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
This is a fairly quick surgery that usually takes under four hours but can vary depending on the number of discs being removed. The surgery is performed with general anesthesia before a surgeon begins.
A small incision is made at the front of the neck before the blood vessels, esophagus, and trachea are moved aside to provide a clear view of the vertebrae. Once open, the surgeon identifies the injured discs, vertebrae, and nerves before removing the sources of the pain, whether damaged discs or bone spurs. Once removed, the surgeon will then perform a bone graft using either a donor bone or synthetic compound in order to fill the empty space before attaching a titanium plate and set of screws to the affected vertebrae.
Once the removal and reinforcement is complete, the blood vessels, trachea, and esophagus will be put back to their normal position and the neck is stitched back up. While this is a fairly invasive surgery, a skilled surgeon can help reduce the minor risks associated with this procedure.
Is An Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Right For You?
If you suffer from herniated, worn, or otherwise injured discs and are not finding relief with medication, steroid injections, or physical therapy, an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion could be the solution for your pain. This procedure will help alleviate pain associated with internal disc injuries and will also commonly relieve neck and arm pain that is the result of pinched nerves. When the disc is removed, pressure on the nerves is alleviated, bringing relief to the patient.